Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Week 1 game status updates. The Philadelphia Eagles issued their third and final official injury report on Thursday in advance of their Week 1 game against the Green Bay Packers on Friday night in São Paulo, Brazil. The big news is that Isaiah Rodgers has been ruled OUT. Rodgers was limited in practice all week due to a hand injury. We’ve been writing that Rodgers was expected to play outside cornerback in nickel packages with first-round rookie Quinyon Mitchell shifting from the boundary in base defense to the slot. It seems like Kelee Ringo will now be the outside option when Mitchell shifts inside. Of course, it’s possible the Eagles simply use Avonte Maddox as the nickel and have Mitchell remain on the outside. If you’re wondering if Cooper DeJean could factor in, well, Vic Fangio didn’t make it sound the rookie is super ready to be counted on, especially in contrast with his positive answer about how Mitchell is going to play all the snaps. It’ll be interesting to see exactly how the coaching staff handles this secondary configuration. Devin White was already ruled out on Wednesday; he did not travel with the team. For the record, it’s hardly uncommon for injured players to not travel with their team. Especially on an unusually long trip like this one. White benefits more from getting treatment and rehabbing at the NovaCare Complex than he does spending time on a long journey to South America. We already covered White’s absence at length. The expectation is that Nakobe Dean and Zack Baun will start. To be determined if the likes of Oren Burks, Jeremiah Trotter Jr., and/or Ben VanSumeren also rotate in. Outside of Rodgers and White, the Eagles’ active roster is healthy for Week 1. The team will likely announce two temporary practice squad elevations for Friday’s game tomorrow. At the very least, Nick Gates figures to be bumped up to be the backup center. We’ll see who else joins him. OUT CB Isaiah Rodgers (hand)LB Devin White (ankle) … RESERVE/PHYSICALLY UNABLE TO PERFORM (PUP) S Sydney Brown RESERVE/INJURED DB James Bradberry IVTE McCallan CastlesOT Le’Raven ClarkWR Jacob HarrisTE Albert Okwuegbunam Jr.WR Ainias Smith GREEN BAY PACKERS INJURY REPORT (THURSDAY) The Packers ruled three players questionable: No. 2 running back MarShawn Lloyd, third-string running back Emanuel Wilson, and No. 2 tight end Tucker Kraft. Lloyd has been dealing with a lingering hamstring issue with Wilson is battling a hip injury. Josh Jacobs will obviously be featured as the Packers’ top running back but the depth behind him seems suspect. Kraft was unexpectedly added to the injury report on Wednesday. More insight on his potential absence from Acme Packing Company: Tight end is also thin. If Kraft is out of the picture, the squad will only have Luke Musgrave and Ben Sims on their 53-man roster at the position. Mind you, Green Bay played the third-most multiple tight end looks in the league last season, despite injuries to Musgrave, Kraft and Davis. They want to play several tight ends at a time and now only have two that are healthy. We’ll find out if these players will be able to play or not when inactives are officially announced 90 minutes prior to kickoff on Friday evening. Packers third-string defensive lineman Arron Mosby was ruled out on Wednesday; he did not travel with the team due to personal matter. He may have been a healthy scratch anyway. OUT DL Arron Mosby (personal reasons) QUESTIONABLE TE Tucker Kraft (back)RB MarShawn Lloyd (hamstring)RB Emanuel Wilson (hip) … RESERVE/INJURED CB LJ DavisTE Tyler DavisRB AJ DillonDL Jonathan FordLB Ralen Goforth
Eagles-Packers Final Injury Report: Isaiah Rodgers ruled OUT
Rams put another CB on IR, costing him at least 4 games
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images Darious Williams return to the Rams is delayed by a month, at least It turns out that Tre’Davious White might actually be the healthiest Rams cornerback, as Darious Williams became L.A.’s third player at the position to land on IR before the season. The Rams put Darious Williams on IR on Thursday due to a hamstring issue, meaning that the veteran cornerback will miss at least the first four games, if not more. Williams joins Derion Kendrick, who will be out for the season with a torn ACL, and Tre Tomlinson as three corners on the Rams injured reserve list. LA Rams Roster Moves:• Reserve/Injured CB Darious Williams pic.twitter.com/6BRyGw82tm — Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) September 5, 2024 Williams did not have a healthy training camp, so while the news is unexpected because we hadn’t heard about it in a while, it’s also not unexpected. The Rams will now have White, Cobie Durant, Quentin Lake, Russ Yeast, and undrafted free agent rookies Josh Wallace and Charles Woods at cornerback. Against the Lions in Week 1, the Rams might need to make a player like Wallace active, just in case L.A. needs to go to their reserves right away.
Play in our FREE Ravens Wire Challenge for Week 1
Play in our FREE Ravens Wire Challenge for Week 1 Nick Schwartz Think you know the Baltimore Ravens well? Already have this week’s game against the Chiefs all figured out? Prove it. Join our new, free-to-play Ravens Wire Challenge. Answer eight questions below, plus a tie breaker correctly for your chance at winning a $25 gift card. Pick. Play. Win. Repeat. On Us. You must be 21+ to enter. Terms and conditions apply, see website. For additional free sports pick’em games to play, visit the game lobby at Daily Ticket.
Bengals vs. Patriots Injury Report: Chase and Higgins limited
Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK Game day approaches. The Cincinnati Bengals were back on the practice field Thursday, preparing for Sunday’s opener against the New England Patriots. As always, Thursday injury reports shed light on who should be suiting up Sunday. For the Bengals, Joe Burrow (right wrist) was again a full participant, as was rookie wide receiver Jermaine Burton (toe.) Burton had not shown up on the injury report thus far this week, but he appears to be okay for Sunday. Another new name on the list was wide receiver Tee Higgins, who was limited with a hamstring injury. The team was likely cautious with him to keep him ready for Sunday, but it is something to keep an eye on. Ja’Marr Chase practiced yet again but was listed as a limited participant on account of rest as he works back into form after his hold-in. Linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither was also limited with a rest day. Kris Jenkins (thumb) had his entire hand wrapped during practice but appears ready to go. He was listed as a limited participant for the second straight day. Amarius Mims was also limited again, but reports don’t suggest he is in line to play. For the Patriots, their report looks similar to yesterday. The only new addition to their report was running back Antonio Gibson (hip), who was listed as limited. Offensive guard Sidy Sow (ankle) was the only Patriot to not participate, indicating he will not suit up Sunday. Defensive back Johnathan Jones (hamstring), offensive tackle Vederian Lowe (abdomen), Linebacker Josh Uche (foot), and linebacker Oshane Ximines (ankle) were all listed as limited participants for the second consecutive day. Friday is usually a walkthrough during which the team gives a simulated report, so we could learn game statuses as soon as tomorrow. Full Bengals vs. Patriots Injury Report
Giants’ DC Shane Bowen on Adoree’ Jackson’s role, and his defensive philosophy
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Bowen doesn’t like the “bend, don’t break” terminology New York Giants defensive doordinator Shane Bowen discussed the return of cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, the team’s defensive philosophy, and more during on Wednesday as the team prepared for Sunday’s season-opening game against the Minnesota Vikings. Adoree’ Jackson’s return When asked about the decision to bring back cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, Bowen emphasized the importance of getting Jackson ready to play and familiar with the team’s schemes. “Good to get him back here,” Bowen said. “We’re focused on getting him ready to go, get him up to speed as quick as we can. I think my experience with him in Tennessee (Titans) and his experience here with the coaches and the guys, I think, is a benefit as well.” Bowen also acknowledged that players coming in to a team and having to contribute quickly is not unusual. “You can ask all 32 teams. There’s guys that come in on Tuesday that end up playing on Sunday throughout the year,” Bowen said. “(I) dealt with it in my time in Tennessee with some of the injuries we had. It’s the league, the nature of the league. With numbers and injuries that occur throughout, you got to be ready to get guys up to speed relatively quickly so they can go out and execute and hopefully not ask them to do too much too early to where they’re making mistakes and some things come up.” Jackson, Cor’Dale Flott and Nick McCloud are all options at cornerback opposite Deonte Banks. “You want the roster to be as competitive as possible, so guys improve and they feel the pressure of having to come out here every single day, a Tuesday in October, a Monday in December, and get better,” Bowen said. “So, that’s ultimately what we’re trying to get done is just continuing to push all these guys to be the best versions of themselves. “We owe it to the unit to put the best guys out there that we feel give us the best chance to win.” Defining an aggressive defense Bowen has repeatedly stressed the importance of playing an aggressive defense, but he clarified that this aggression goes beyond simply blitzing. “I want these guys to attack. I want them to have an attacking mentality with everything they do,” Bowen said. “You play defensive football, I don’t care if it’s Pee Wee or if it’s up to the NFL, when you play defensive football, there’s an expectation of physicality, toughness, aggression and being aggressive throughout. Totally different than scheme and what that is and where that goes, but it’s more about play style to me.” Bowen also wants players to be smart. “We talk about don’t do dumb crap that hurts the team,” he said. “There’s a fine line between being aggressive and hitting guys when it’s legal and being stupid and hitting guys late, hitting the quarterback high or going low on the quarterback in the pocket. We have to play within the rules. We understand that. Again, we want to toe the edge, we do. We want to get up to the edge of it, but at the same time, we can’t do the dumb stuff that costs the team.” The new hip-drop tackle rule is one that all NFL teams will have to nagivate. It will be a learning process. “There were a few examples throughout the preseason that we send into the league to get a little bit more clarity on,” Bowen said. “Just the examples of, ‘Is this the classified three areas that it takes to really be determined a hip-drop tackle.’ So we’ll kind of see as that goes here these first few weeks, see where they’re at with it. But right now, I think it’s going to be a learning process for us and the officials as we go.” Red zone defense Bowen’s defenses in Tennessee consistently excelled in the red zone, a trend he hopes to continue this season. He downplayed the “bend but don’t break” label often attached to successful red zone defenses. “They score three points instead of seven, that’s a huge difference in a game,” Bowen said. “I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s ‘Bend don’t break,’ as much as it’s, ‘Let’s make sure if they do get down there, we don’t really care how they do, but let’s make sure when they do get down there that we’re defending our house.’ That end zone is our house. We’re going to do everything we can. We’re going to empty the chamber. We’re going to defend our house and find ways.”
T.J. Hockenson Being Forecast for a Post-Bye Week Return
Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images As has been expected The Minnesota Vikings kept tight end T.J. Hockenson on their Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List when they set their 53-man roster, meaning that he is required to sit out at least the first four games of the 2024 regular season. As far as for when he’s actually expected back, it would appear that the timeline is what most of us have been anticipating for some time. Behind the great E$PN paywall, Dan Graziano have put together their “Week 1 Buzz” for teams around the league, and it includes this one small tidbit about Hockenson. The Vikings are loosely targeting a Week 7 or so return for tight end T.J. Hockenson (torn ACL and MCL). A week 7 return for Hockenson would put him back into the fold right after the team’s bye week, which follows their trip to London in Week 5. It would also put him in line to return against his former team, the Detroit Lions, at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Lions were the team that Hockenson suffered his injury against, as we all know. Honestly, if the Vikings can’t bring Hockenson back for the first four weeks anyway, giving him one more game off and the bye week to complete whatever he needs to complete makes the most sense. As much as I dislike the early bye week in most instances, this is one sense where it actually helps the Vikings a bit if they can get Hockenson back as a result of it. I don’t think any of us are surprised that the Vikings are targeting Week 7 for Hockenson’s return, but it is nice to get something of a confirmation on that.
Jaguars vs. Dolphins Week 1 injury report: Jalen Ramsey does not practice, 4 removed from report for Miami
Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images The Dolphins and Jaguars updated their Week 1 injury report on Thursday. The Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars updated their injury reports on Wednesday for their upcoming Sunday showdown. The good news for the Dolphins is that four players were removed from the Tuesday version of the report, with players who had received veteran rest returning to practice. The bad news is that a key starter continues to not practice. The Jaguars did not change their side of the report, with safety Daniel Thomas the lone player listed. Thomas is dealing with an Achilles injury and has been limited in both Tuesday and Wednesday practices. The Dolphins continued to see cornerback Jalen Ramsey sidelined with a hamstring injury; he was a non-participant in practice on both Wednesday and Thursday. Center Aaron Brewer (hand), defensive tackle Benito Jones (knee), and wide receiver Malik Washington (quadriceps) were all limited in both Wednesday and Thursday practices. The team saw linebacker Jalean Phillips upgraded from a non-participant on Wednesday to a full participant on Thursday; Phillips was given a veteran’s rest day but is also continuing to recover from an Achilles tear that ended his 2023 campaign early. Miami also had safety Jordan Poyer (thumb/vet rest) and linebacker Anthony Walker (knee/vet rest) upgrade on Thursday, both from limited on Wednesday to full participants. Safety Jevon Holland, who was a full participant on Wednesday despite an ankle issue, continued participating in all of practice on Thursday. Tackle Terron Arsmtead and defensive tackle Calais Campbell, both of whom sat out Wednesday’s workout as a vet rest day, were removed from the injury report on Thursday. Cornerback Kendall Fuller and linebacker David Long, who were limited in their workouts on Wednesday as part of the team’s vet rest program, were also removed from the injury report on Thursday. The Dolphins and Jaguars kick off from Miami Gardens’s Hard Rock Stadium, at 1 p.m. ET Sunday. Both teams will release their final injury reports for the weekend tomorrow.
The Phinsider Eliminator Challenge 2024: Join our survivor group for the year
John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images Join us to see if you can be the last player standing for 2024. The 2024 NFL season begins tonight with the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Baltimore Ravens. Over the past few seasons, we have hosted an eliminator game here on The Phinsider, and today we are bringing that back. I know it is late to be setting this up. You may have noticed that for much of the summer/training camp and preseason, I was not posting as I normally do (or you may not have noticed because the rest of the team is awesome and kept the site up to date). I was tied up away from the site for most of that time, which also means I did not have a chance to set up our normal games. I apologize for the delay. Eliminator pools are pretty simple. You pick one team to win each week. Once you use a team, you cannot use the same team again. You keep playing until the team you picked loses that week. If you would like to join our eliminator pool for the 2024 season, it is on ESPN. Click here to join and make sure you get your Week 1 pick submitted. (If you need the password for the group, it is Marino13)
Injury report: Ifeatu Melifonwu returns, Rams’ starting CB placed on IR
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7 important quotes from Detroit Lions coordinator press conferences
Sign up for Season 2 of PODD Big things are in store for our newsletter, Pride of Detroit Direct. I’m excited to announce we’ve added Ty Schalter this season. Listen to exclusive podcasts sent directly to your inbox and read more voices from our team at Pride of Detroit by clicking below to sign up for a 7-day free trial today!
